There’s a new mental health resource in mid-Michigan to help people cope with stress brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties, or CEI, has set up a telephone support line staffed with counselors who can talk with callers about personal issues.
Callers do not need to be existing clients or have a formal mental health diagnosis. CEI crisis services coordinator Chris McCaslin says many people are dealing with anxiety about living under quarantine.
“So, then it’s ‘What do I do now? I’m the house,’ and then you have the family dynamics going on as well. We’re actually receiving phone calls in regard to that; trying to help people navigate and manage what they haven’t normally faced.”
McCaslin says CEI encourages essential workers in particular to use their counseling service line if they experience feelings of anxiety or depression.
“It gets difficult for those that are out there going into work every day and a lot of times they’re selfless. You don’t think about it but then after you go home for a couple of days, it hits you…the things you’re seeing, the things that people are sharing and experiencing. So, we just want to encourage everybody to call if they need help.”
The support line is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (517) 237-7100.
